Evil Valley by Simon Hall Page B

see them!’ I remember this warning clearly. Following that, PC Crouch discharged two shots and moved on into the kitchen. The corner in the hallway and its narrowness meant I did not see the actual firing.
    “After the shots, I pushed my way forward and saw PC Crouch standing over a man who was lying prone on the floor. He was not moving. A woman was sitting on the floor alongside him crying. She appeared to be injured. A kitchen knife was by the man’s body on the floor. I immediately radioed for back-up and an ambulance. We checked the man for signs of life but it was apparent he was dead and attempts at resuscitation would be futile. Other officers arrived at the scene within about eight minutes of my call. Nothing was touched in the kitchen during that time, although the woman was leaned against the sink unit to support her.”
    Whiting’s eyes flicked over them. ‘All clear?’
    ‘Yes sir,’ they both replied.
    ‘Are there any particular points we need to bring out?’
    ‘The fact that Gardener didn’t see the actual shooting,’ said Suzanne. ‘And particularly why Crouch went first into the house.’ She checked the statement again, following the lines with a finger. ‘Gardener says he always liked to go first. We’ll want to know why that is.’
    ‘Precisely,’ hissed the Assassin. ‘We must remember we may be investigating not just a possible murder, but also what could turn out to be manslaughter. There may have been no plot to kill, no premeditation. But there may have been recklessness, over-zealous behaviour, or even enjoyment of being in the position of having a gun. Could PC Crouch have been too keen to use it? Wanted to use it?’
    Suzanne and Claire both nodded. ‘Sir?’ asked Claire.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘I’ve never been firearms trained. I think I’m clear about how marksmen operate, but given the gravity of this case, can you remind me of the rules they work under? I need to be absolutely clear when we interview Crouch.’
    Whiting studied the sheet in front of him before continuing. ‘In essence, the rules are these. The first principle is to contain and negotiate. That’s why sieges are so common in these cases. Officers would first usually surround a house to make sure the incident could not spread and there was no danger to the public. Then they would attempt to negotiate with the aggressor.’
    ‘But in this case – and the one in Bodmin – it didn’t get as far as negotiations?’
    ‘No. If a situation is changing rapidly, or there’s an immediate threat to a member of the public or a police officer, then force can be used immediately.’
    ‘And what are the rules then, sir?’
    ‘The force used must be proportionate, so an officer can shoot if he believes the person he’s dealing with is posing a threat to the public or to the officer himself. It’s simplest to think of it in terms of the marksman’s priorities. His first is to protect the public. His second is to protect himself. His third is to protect the suspect. So, if the marksman has a legitimate and honest belief that members of the public are, or he himself is, in danger, he can fire. The suspect does not need to have a gun, simply some way of being a threat. In relation to this case, a knife is of course sufficient if the suspect is in close proximity to a member of the public or the officers.’
    ‘And the marksman always shoots to kill?’ asked Suzanne. ‘He doesn’t aim for the legs for example, to disable a suspect?’
    ‘It’s not called shoot to kill,’ said Whiting, ‘but that is largely for reasons of public relations. It’s officially known as a “shoot to stop” policy. Marksmen are trained and ordered to fire at the body. So even if it’s not the intention to kill, that is the likely outcome. The logic is that when a situation has become so grave that a marksman has to fire, he must do so in a way most likely to ensure he removes the threat he faces. That is why he targets the